Raythor
Raythor is a character and antagonist from the TV series W.I.T.C.H.. He was a loyal knight in Phobos's army during Phobos's reign on Meridian. Valuing honor and loyalty above all else, he pledged an oath to serve Prince Phobos until the day he died, and will go to great lengths to fulfill this oath no matter the cost. When Phobos was overthrown by the Guardians and Elyon, he was recruited by Nerissa to join the Knights of Vengeance, a group he saw as a valuable asset to him in his desire for revenge on the Guardians and all the former soldiers who broke their vow of loyalty to Phobos and sided with the rebels during the rebellion. He quickly became the leader of the Knights of Vengeance and led them through many attacks on both the Guardians and Queen Elyon herself. Personality Raythor is an loyal knight who views honor as the highest characteristic a person can have. Once he makes a vow to someone, even an individual he considers an enemy, he will keep his word no matter the cost. While he possesses a gruff exterior, he is not intentionally hostile to anyone who does not warrant his aggression; only individuals he or his master views as an enemy or threat to their cause. Despite this limitation, however, he has no qualms towards serving good or evil intentions, and remains fairly neutral in his actions. His only requirement for servitude is his or his lord's actions can be considered honorable and loyal. With honor as the basis for knighthood, he will not serve a master he has witnessed as being treacherous. Even if others tell him of these treacherous deeds, he requires that he witnesses an act for himself before he can willingly void his oath of servitude with his lord and make a new oath to another individual. Character History The Key Raythor's first appearance in the series was during a meeting between himself, Prince Phobos, Lord Cedric, and Vathek. Upon investigating the oubliette Caleb was held in, he discovered the open shackles that had bound Caleb to the prison. He suggested that either Caleb picked the lock on them or had used the only key the castle had to open them. When Vathek was unable to present the key, saying he must have lost it during the battle (in actuality Blunk stole it when he, Caleb, and the Guardians escaped from the castle in hopes he could sell it for money), he was accused of being a traitor to Phobos' rule and thrown into a prison cell while Phobos' soldiers scoured the castle to locate the key. Raythor visited Vathek in his cell and taunted him that when the key fails to show up, he would be thrown into the Abyss of Shadows for his treachery and he would be promoted to Vathek's former position of captain. When the Guardians returned to the castle to aid Vathek, Will knocked Raythor out (blackening his right eye) and planted the key in his pocket. When Cedric discovers the key in Raythor's possession, Raythor swears that he has remained loyal to Phobos and has been framed. His cries fall on deaf ears, however, and he is then thrown into the Abyss of Shadows by Cedric. The Knights of Vengeance Raythor spent over a year in the Abyss of Shadows, with much of the time being devoted to climbing up the side of the dark cave wall in hopes of reaching the outside. His body was shriveled and appeared starved, as his only source of nutrition were the dew and petals of scatter flowers growing on the cave wall. When he reached the top he was greeted by Nerissa, who praised him for his determination for the many months he spent climbing up the Abyss. When Nerissa asked what he worked so hard to achieve and what his goals were in the outside world, Raythor replied with only the word 'vengeance'. Nerissa promptly invited him to join her Knights of Vengeance where he instantly butted heads with Frost the Hunter over who would be the leader. Frost called Raythor out on the account he was half-starved to death and only half the man he was before, thus being unfit to lead. Raythor replied that would still make him twice the soldier Frost ever was and the two of them had a duel for leadership. Raythor easily defeated Frost and Nerissa granted him the title of leader. Raythor's first order as leader was to launch an attack on the two individuals whose betrayal played key roles in Phobos' downfall. Tynar, the soldier who defected to the rebellion and managed to turn numerous other soldiers against Phobos, and Vathek, a captain in Phobos' army who was acting as an informant for the rebels and reported all of Phobos' plans to them. They attacked the village Tynar was help rebuilding that got destroyed during one of his raiding missions under Phobos' rule and kidnapped him, despite Drake's and various other soldier's attempts to help him. They next ambushed Vathek in the forest who was looking for them after hearing about what happened to Tynar. The Guardians attempted to defend Vathek, but due to Cornelia's powers growing more out of control due to the excess energy of the Veil flowing into the aurameres, the Knights managed to escape with Vathek as their prisoner. Tynar and Vathek were then used as bait to lure the Guardians into a canyon for an ambush, but their plans met with failure and Vathek and Tynar were rescued. While still remaining the leader, Raythor temporarily stepped down while Nerissa commanded the Knights for a few of her own goals. He would not act prominently again until he went behind Nerissa's back and attacked Aldarn after an honor ceremony where Aldarn, Caleb, Julian, and Drake were given medals for their heroic efforts during the rebellion. When Miranda stated she was surprised he attacked Aldarn without first consulting Nerissa, Raythor replied he could not stand by and let "pond scum like him" receive medals for their anything-but-honorable deeds. He later led an attack on the castle and kidnapped Julian and Drake as well. Miranda, however, was left behind after being knocked out by The Mage during the siege. When she came to, she led Caleb to the other three prisoners in exchange for her freedom, but not before laying an ambush on the Guardians who were following her. During the fight, the Knights succeeded in kidnapping Blunk, preventing the Guardians from using him to track them by using their scent. With all five prisoners, the Knights prepared to execute them when Nerissa arrived and became furious at the Knights for attacking and taking prisoners without consulting her first. Raythor replied she recruited them for vengeance and vengeance had been accomplished with their recent attack. After regaining her composure, Nerissa reluctantly agreed, but said the prisoners would be divided amongst them. Nerissa took Julian and Caleb for herself, leaving Drake, Aldarn, and Blunk to the mercy of the Knights. The Guardians eventually found them, however, and managed to rescue the three of them before they were killed. Julian and Caleb later turned up back at the castle, stating they weren't sure how they escaped after being attacked by Nerissa. Raythor took charge again after a portent stated the Horn of Hypnos would resurface amongst a traveling caravan of merchants. After destroying most of them, Raythor interrogated a merchant who stated he sold it to Blunk earlier. Jeek, however, had followed Blunk to Earth, and stole it when Blunk was preoccupied. Jeek later traded it to Raythor in exchange for a bronze helmet, and Raythor proceeded to use it to entrance Will, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin. With four Guardians under his command, he ordered them to entrance the last Guardian, Irma, so they could then attack the castle and kill Queen Elyon. Irma, Blunk, and Matt traveled to Meridian to track down Jeek and were ambushed by the four entranced Guardians. Matt and Jeek were successfully entranced, but Irma and Blunk managed to escape the sound of the horn. After much struggling, Irma and Blunk managed to destroy the horn, freeing their friends form the Horn's spell and foiling Raythor's plans. Destruction of the Knights The tables began to turn when Queen Elyon's army launched a series of successful attacks upon the Knights of Vengeance, using Blunk to repeatedly sniff out their location. The Knights of Vengeance were constantly on a string of retreats and it was only a matter of time until they would be completely killed or captured by Elyon's army which outnumbered them. Raythor decided to launch one last final attack on the castle, this time however, their goal was to release Phobos from his prison in the Infinite City and aid him in reclaiming the throne from his sister. Upon successfully releasing him, the Knights of Vengeance marched under Phobos' command and laid siege to the castle. They easily penetrated the castle's gate and stormed the castle, reaching as far as the throne room where they effortlessly smothered the remaining remnants of Elyon's army and declared themselves victorious. The Guardians arrived to defend the castle, but Phobos proved a formidable match for them. It was not until Elyon arrived and used the full powers of her magic to imprison Phobos, his lurden army, and the Knights of Vengeance in the Infinite City's prison chamber and finally put an end to their days of terrorizing Meridian. After many months of rotting in prison, Nerissa approached him and the rest of the Knights of Vengeance and gloated that she never had any interest in their vengeance against the rebels and they were merely pawns to further her own goals of obtaining the Heart of Meridian. Raythor was furious at Nerissa's treachery and lack of honor but was unable to do anything to vex his anger. It would not be until many more months later that he would have his own honor called into question. A Knight's Honor Months later, Raythor was approached by Hay Lin who asked why he was still loyal to Phobos after Phobos had him thrown into the Abyss of Shadows so long ago. Raythor responded that he always keeps his vows and honor is the most important thing between a knight and his lord, despite his. Hay Lin revealed that while that is true, Phobos was not an honorable lord and Raythor's services should go to one who is. Raythor refused to listen and told her that Phobos has always kept his vows, to which Hay Lin responded that they'll see about that. Will then approached Phobos and made him swear on the Power of Kandrakar that they would pardon him of all his crimes if he helped them take the Seal of Nerissa away from Nerissa and return it's power to Elyon and Kadma and not use it for himself. Raythor told Phobos that making such a vow to treacherous people like them is beneath him, with Phobos responding that his prison cell was also beneath him and gladly accepted the plea bargain. When Phobos returned weeks later with Nerissa's power as his own to free his loyal minions and that he had gone back on his vow to the Guardians, Raythor realized that his lord had been nothing but an honorless man. When Hay Lin returned to him for an answer, he pledged a new oath to aide the Guardians in taking down the dishonorable Phobos. Now sided with the Guardians, Raythor acted as a double agent for them and would do everything in his power to trick Phobos into attacking Kandrakar, thereby forfeiting all the power he had obtained on his honorless oath to the Guardians. While successful, complications arose when Caleb and Blunk were captured during the final battle for Meridian and taken as prisoners back to Phobos' castle. In an effort to save them, Raythor suggested that they throw them into the Abyss of Shadows, as he knew an escape route from it and would be able to rescue Caleb and Blunk later. Cedric, however, remembered Raythor had escaped from the Abyss of Shadows and stated that it was not as inescapable as they believed. Phobos agreed and made it clear he would have no loose ends anymore and they would be taken to Cavigor and executed at dawn. That night, the Guardians arrived at Cavigor to rescue Caleb and Blunk, and Raythor informed them that he had been successful in recruiting Gargoyle and Sandpit to their side. Tracker was too malicious and Frost was too much of a brute to be trusted, however, and he couldn't risk asking them. After throwing the fight to them, the Guardians escaped with Caleb and Blunk and both sides prepared for the final battle in Kandrakar. During the final battle in Kandrakar, Raythor participated in a staged battle in which the Guardians would feign defeat in order for Phobos to step foot into Kandrakar and break his oath; thereby relinquishing all the magical power he had obtained under false pretenses. When Cedric devoured Phobos and stole his power for his own, however, the plan was forfeit and a frantic battle ensued. With Phobos out of the picture, Cedric demanded the Knights of Vengeance to pledge their loyalty to him. Raythor, Sandpit, and Gargoyle responded by attacking him, distracting him long enough for the Guardians to escape back to Earth to prepare for Cedric's invasion. He fought heroically alongside the rebels against Cedric's forces in Kandrakar, eventually winning the fight and the also war. In the epilogue, Raythor became a captain in Elyon's royal guard; having finally found a monarch worthy of his loyalty and honor. Abilities While Raythor has no magic, he is a skilled swordsman and possesses a keen knowledge of the battlefield. While not as physically strong as some of his peers, his skill and intelligences more than make up for this shortcoming and allows him to take down physically stronger opponents such as Frost with ease. Category:Males Category:Adults Category:Humans Category:Men Category:Swordsmen Category:Antagonists Category:Anime villains Category:Cartoon Villains Category:Villains from TV Series Category:Comic book villains